ROANOKE RAPIDS — “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” so the song sings, but it can be difficult when getting hour holiday packages to your loved ones and friends.

United States Postal Service Clerk Gevia Cherry said the post office has lots of priority boxes for your holiday shipping and they’re free. Prices for postage depend on the size of the box, but as they say, “If it fits, it ships.” Della Batts | The Daily Herald Advertisement

Long lines, damaged packages, confusion on pricing, the Christmas chaos involved in shipping packages can make you crazy.

This year, the United States Postal Service (USPS) and United Parcel Service of America Inc. (UPS) would like to alleviate some of your holiday woe and confusion. They’ve got specials to help you ship your packages with ease.

“If it fits, it ships,” is the motto this holiday season, as the USPS is encouraging everyone to use priority shipping. “The boxes are free,” said postal clerk Jack Reese. When asked if they would make lines at the post office any shorter, he just laughed. He explained clerks still have to put the postage on the boxes, but “It will get to its destination faster,” he said. Reese said priority mail is separated from other classes of mail. “In the U.S. it will usually arrive within two to three business days,” he said.

Mike Scott, at the UPS Store at Premiere Landing said, “There’s always something special at the UPS Store.” His store has the “Pack and Ship Promise” for his holiday customers. “If we pack it for you, it is 100 percent guaranteed against breakage,” he said. Scott said after Thanksgiving, customers receive 50 percent off all packaging materials. “And there’s always discount coupons inside the store and online for any of our shipping or printing services,” he said. “We always want people to feel they get a good value when they ship with us. It encourages them to come back again.”

Reese and Scott said they’ve already seen an increase in business and they believe some people are trying to send their packages early to avoid the rush.

Scott said, UPS expects the holiday peak Monday, Dec. 14. “We say, ‘People shop on the weekend and ship on Monday.’ ”

He said he plans to have plenty of shipping materials and people in the store to help customers. “We try to make sure our customers don’t stand in line too long,” he said. “We try to be as efficient as possible and still meet their needs.”

“It’s an exciting time of the year,” Scott continued. “It’s stressful, but we love it and we hope everybody has a great and safe holiday. If we can alleviate their stress, well, we say in shipping, ‘their headache is our bread and butter.’”